2 Firefighters Quit Amid Contract Hearings

WINTER PARK — The dust had barely settled from the Aug. 6 hearing on a firefighters contract when two firefighters resigned from the department.

Firefighter-paramedic Pat McCabe, who acted as a negotiator for the union, Local 1598 Winter Park Professional Fire Fighters, resigned Sunday to take a job with the Orange County Fire Department.

In addition, firefighter-EMT Brian Dean -- who acted as McCabe's driver and assistant on emergency rescue calls -- resigned the day of the 10-hour hearing. Dean said he intends to leave the fire service and return to school for training in another line of work.

''I like working for the department, but not the city,'' said McCabe. ''The city is not running me off. I've been thinking about it. Things like pay and benefits that the city Winter Park turned down, Orange County has already got in its contract.''

McCabe said, because the Winter Park union and the Orange County local are members of the Central Florida Fire Fighters Council, he plans to continue helping the local union with its contract negotiations.